Tobacco Facts & Information

For every person who dies from a smoking-related disease, 20 more people suffer with at least one serious illness from smoking.

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death.

Worldwide, tobacco use causes more than 5 million deaths per year, and current trends show that tobacco use will cause more than 8 million deaths annually by 2030.

Cigarette smoking is responsible for about one in five deaths annually (i.e., more than 440,000 deaths per year, and an estimated 49,000 of these smoking-related deaths are the result of secondhand smoke exposure).

Information published in 2005 documented that secondhand smoke costs more than $10 billion (i.e., health care expenditures, morbidity, and mortality).

Thousands of young people begin smoking every day.

Each day, nearly 4,000 persons younger than 18 years of age smoke their first cigarette.

Each day, about 1,000 persons younger than 18 years of age become new daily cigarette smokers.

Secondhand Smoke
In children, secondhand smoke causes the following:

Ear infections

More frequent and severe asthma attacks

Respiratory symptoms (e.g., coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath)

Respiratory infections (i.e., bronchitis, pneumonia)

A greater risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

In children aged 18 months or younger, secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for:

An estimated 150,000-300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia annually

Approximately 7,500-15,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States

In adults who have never smoked, secondhand smoke can cause heart disease and/or lung cancer.Heart Disease

For nonsmokers, breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system than can increase the risk for heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk.

Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their heart disease risk by 25-30%.

There is no risk-free level of contact with secondhand smoke; even brief exposure can be harmful to health.Spit Tobacco

Spit tobacco is also known as chewing tobacco, oral tobacco, spit or spitting tobacco, dip, chew, and snuff. Most people chew or suck (dip) the tobacco in their mouth and spit out the tobacco juices that build up, although “spitless” smokeless tobacco has also been developed.

Despite the claims of tobacco companies, spit tobacco is not a safe alternative to smoking.

Smokeless tobacco and snuff contain over 3,000 chemicals, 28 of which are known carcinogens (cancer causing agents) which include:

Formaldehyde

Arsenic

Polonium-210

Cadmium

Embalming Fluid

An especially potent poison

Nuclear waste

Used in car batteries

Acetone

Ammonia

Nicotine

Nickel

Paint Stripper

Toilet bowl cleaner

Insecticide

Carcinogen

The amount of nicotine in a can of smokeless tobacco is roughly 144 milligrams, which is equal to about 80 cigarettes. In other words, one can of snuff or dip equals about four packs of cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are battery operated devices that heat and vaporize liquid containing nicotine and other toxins. Users inhale and exhale a mix of gases and tiny particles carrying toxins into their lungs and into the air around them, forcing others to breathe in these tiny aerosols. Contrary to popular belief, electronic cigarettes affect our environment and the individuals in it. In fact, research has shown that just five minutes of e-cigarette use has similar effects on the lungs as smoking a regular cigarette. Additionally, airways become obstructed and inflamed for those who use electronic cigarettes containing nicotine.

E-cigs pollute the air

E-cigs give off tiny particles that can lodge into the lungs and cause disease

These particles can reach concentrations almost as high as were found in businesses before their smoke-free laws

E-cigs emit toxic chemicals, including:

Propylene glycol (lung and eye irritant)

Formaldehyde and B-nicotyrine (cancer-causing agents)

Metal and silicate particles (toxic to human cells)

Nicotine (addictive and harmful to unborn babies)

There are currently no regulations on manufacture and sale

No way to know what users are breathing in or emitting to those around them

No protection from harmful design flaws

E-cigs can contain deadly nicotine levels

High levels of nicotine can be absorbed through spills on the skin or by children swallowing the liquid

Kentucky has seen an 333% increase in calls to poison control centers caused by e-cigarettes

E-cigs appeal to our youth

Due to effective marketing, non-smoking teens are drawn to e-cigarettes because of appealing, sweet flavors (bubble gum)

1,780,000 teens tried an e-cig in 2012; 160,000 of them were non-smokers

Youth who use electronic cigarettes are more likely to graduate to regular cigarettes

Want to stop smoking?

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